Combination can holder and punch



March 14, 1961 T. T. SAND COMBINATION CAN HOLDER AND PUNCH Filed May 29, 1959 IN V EN TOR. 7 0/14/7220 77' 844/0 2,974,410 COMBINATION CAN HOLDER AND PUNCH Tomitaro T. Sano, Reedley, Calif. (P.0. Box 641, Parlier, Calif.)

Filed May 29, 1959, s m. 816,835 4 Claims. .(CI. 30-61) This invention relates to an improved combination can holder and punch.

The primary object of the invention is to provide a combination device of this kind which has can-clamping means which includes a squeeze handle and carries a lever-operated punch, the handle being squeezable to clamp the clamping means on the can, for safe and convenient handling of the can and for holding the can while the punch is being operated to punch holes in the top of the can, the arrangement being such that a can can be quickly and accurately clamped and held against slipping on a surface, and the punch operated substantially simultaneously with the application of the device to the can, -the can then being securely held for the release of 'the punch from the can top. v Another object of the invention is to provide a simple device of the character indicated above, which is com posed of a small number of uncomplex and easily assembled parts, and which can be made in rugged and serviceable forms at relatively low cost. 7

Other important objects and advantageous features of the invention will be apparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings, wherein, for purposes of illustration only, a specific form of the invention is set forth in detail.

, In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view invention applied to a can;

Figure 2 is an enlarged fragmentary longitudinal section taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary bottom plan view of the device, showing the handle components in normal spread condition in full lines, and in compressed or squeezed condition in phantom lines; and Figure 4 is a transverse section taken on the line 4-4 ofFigure 2. l

Referring in detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals designate like parts throughout the several views, the illustrated device, generally designated 10, comprises a circular cap 12 having a top wall 14, and a depending annular side wall 16. At one side of the cap the side wall 16 is discontinuous, and the resultant spaced ends merge into laterally outwardly and opposite curved portions 18 which terminate in elongated, handle bars 20, which are substantially radial with respect to the cap 12. The handle bars 20 are straight, are resilient, and diverge from each other away from the cap 12, so as to be normally in spread relation to each other, and constitute a squeeze handle 22. As seen in Figures 1 and 4, the handle bars 20 are flat and in vertical planes, and are wider than the cap side wall 16. The curved portions 18 at the inward ends of the handle bars 20 are of the same width as the handle bars, so that their lower edges 24 are spaced below and merged upwardly, as indicated at 26, into the lower edge 28 of the cap side wall.

The curved portions 18 and the arcuate continuations 80 thereof, reaching to the points 26, and adjacent arcushowing a device of the ate end portions 32 of the cap side wall .16 together constitute arcuate clamping jaws 34 which are separated at their upper edges from the cap top wall 14 by horizontal slots 36. The slots 36 have closed ends 38 spaced around the-can side wall from the points 26. With the handle bars 20 in their normal spread condition, as shown in full lines in Figure 3, the jaws 34 are spaced away from each other and occupy positions in continuation of the side wall 16, so that the cap 12 can be readily engaged on an end of a can 40. Squeezing of the handle bars 20 toward each other acts to move the jaws 34 toward each other, as shown in phantom lines in Figure 3, so that the jaws then engage the sides of the can and clamp the can in the cap 12. While so clamped, a can can be held steady on a slipping surface by means of the handle 22, or reached out to a desired place remote from the user of the device and released simply by relaxing the grip on the handle enough to let the handle bars 20 spread away from each other. I v

The cap top wall 14 has thereon a fixed, and preferably integral, radial flat lug 42 at the location of the dis continuity of the cap side wall 16, and between the handle bars 20, which projects outwardly beyond the cap top Wall and into the space between the handle bar portions 18 at the inward ends of the handle bars. The lug 42 has an upstanding hinge pin barrel 44 on its outward end; which can be made by bending up the lug, and through which a headed hinge pin 46 extends.

A can punch lever 48 comprises an elongated channel'- shaped body having depending longitudinal side flanges 50 which terminate at the lever end 52 in widened ears 54 which are centrally pivoted on the pin 46 at opposite sides of the barrel 44. From intermediate points 56 the lever flanges 50 are widened or deepened, and taper from the points 56 to the free end 58 of the lever 48, and have inturned reinforcing beads or flanges 60 therealong for a comfortable hand grip on the free end portion of the lever. As seen in Figure 2, the lower edges of the lever flanges 50 extending between the points 56 to the pivot ears 54 are straight and parallel to the leverweb 60, as indicated at 62, for flat stop engagement with the upper surface 64 of the cap top wall 14, in the fully depressed position of the lever 48. r

For producing a large rectangular hole and a small rectangular hole at diametrically spaced points in a can top 66, an elongated, preferably solid, rectangular punch block 68 is upwardly and longitudinally seated between the lever side flanges 50, outwardly of the intermediate points 56, and is fixed in place against the underside of the lever web 60, as by welds 70. The block 68 has a flat bottom portion '72, parallel and flush with the lever flange edges 62, which extends between a small punch 74 and a large punch 76.

The small punch 7 4, preferably integral with the block 68 at the inward end of the block, is downwardly tapered, preferably hexagonal cross section, and has a slight downward and outward curvature, to its point 78, like an animal fang, so that the small punch can enter and substantially fill and pass through a small rectangular hole or opening provided for its reception in the cap top wall 14 at the side of the cap 12 remote from the hinge lug 42.

The large punch 76 is also preferably integral with the block 68 and extends downwardly therefrom at the outward end of the block. The punch 76 has a straight vertical outward edge 82 which is normal to the block, and a downwardly and outwardly curved inward vertical edge 84 which is substantially arcuate, and which works close to the inward end 86 of a large rectangular cap top wall hole or opening 88 which is located close to the hinge lug 42. The large punch 76 has flat sides 90 as far down as the upper ends of flat downwardly converging side portions 94, which meet at their lower ends and with the lower end of the arcuate edge 84, in a piercing point 96. The large punch 76 is of a cross section to substantially fill the hole 88 in the depressed position of the lever 48 and to pass therethrough to punch a large hole in the can top 66..

It is obvious from the drawings that a can being clamped and held by the handle 22, and the punch lever 48 in its elevated position, as shown in full lines in Figure 2, punching of the can top 66 is produced by manually depressing the lever 48 until it makes stop engagement with the cap 12, and that upward withdrawal of the punches is facilitated by the holding of the can in situ by means of the handle 22, as the lever 48 is pulled upwardly.

Although there has been shown and described herein a preferred form of the invention, it is to be understood that the invention is not necessarily confined thereto, and that any change or changes, in the structure of and in the relative arrangements of components thereof are contemplated as being within the scope of the invention as defined by the claims appended hereto.

What is claimed is:

1. A combination can holder and punch comprising a cap to be engaged over the end of a can, said cap having a top wall, opposed flexible arcuate clamping jaws on said cap to grip opposite sides of a can, spaced handle bars on and extending radially outwardly from said jaws, a punch lever pivoted at one end on said cap, there being an opening in said cap top wall, and punch means on said lever to pass through the opening as the lever is depressed from an elevated position to a depressed position to punch the top of a can, said punch lever being longitudinally aligned with said handle bars and pivoted on the cap at a point adjacent to the handle bars and extending in a direction away from the handle bars.

2. A combination can holder and punch comprising a can top engaging cap having a top wall and a depending annular side wall, said side wall having a discontinuity defining spaced side wall ends, radially outwardly projecting spaced handle bars on said ends, said handle bars being normally in outwardly divergent spaced relation to each other, said cap side wall having circumferential slots therein having open ends at said side wall ends and closed ends spaced around the cap from the open ends, said slots and the portions of the side wall between the closed ends of the slots and the handle bars defining resilient arcuate can side clamping jaws, a radial lug on and projecting outwardly from the cap top wall between the handle bars, a punch lever extending across the cap end having a first end pivoted on said lug and a second free end, said cap top wall having spaced holes therein and said punch lever having spaced punches thereon to pass through related holes to punch a can top as the lever is depressed from an elevated position to a depressed position, said handle bars being adapted to be squeezed together to clamp said jaws on a can while the punch lever is operated.

3. A combination can holder and punch comprising a can top engaging cap having a top wall and a depending annular side wall, said side wall having a discontinuity defining spaced side wall ends, radially outwardly projecting spaced handle bars on said ends, said handle bars being normally in outwardly divergent spaced relation to each other, said cap side wall having circumferential slots therein having open ends at said side wall ends and closed ends spaced around the cap from the open ends,

said slots and the portions of the side wall between the closed ends of the slots and the handle bars defining resilient arcuate can side clamping jaws, a radial lug on and projecting outwardly from the cap top wall between the handle bars, a punch lever extending across the cap end having a first end pivoted on said lug and a second free end, said cap top wall having spaced holes therein and said punch lever having spaced punches thereon to pass through related holes to punch a can top as the lever is depressed from an elevated position to a depressed position, said handle bars being adapted to be squeezed together to clamp said jaws on a can while the punch lever is operated, said punch lever being an elongated channel form having a web and depending longitudinal side flanges, a punch block seated between said flanges and engaged with the underside of the web, means securing the block in place, said punches being fixed on opposite ends of said block.

4. A combination can holder and punch comprising a can top engaging cap, said cap having a top plate and a depending peripheral side wall on the top plate, said side wall being resilient and discontinuous and having spaced ends, spaced handle bars fixed on said ends and extending radially outwardly from the cap, said side wall having closed circumferential slots opening to said side wall ends and defining flexible can side engaging jaws, an upstanding lug on said top plate between the side wall ends, a punch lever having a first end pivoted on said lug, said lever extending across the top plate and having a free end, said lever having downwardly extending punch means between its ends, said cap top plate having opening means to pass said punch means.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 556,395 Zinn Mar. 17, 1896 901,510 Winfield et a1. Oct. 20, 1908 1,011,358 Moseley Dec. 12, 1911 2,292,766 Molander Aug. 11, 1942 2,396,806 Starrett Mar. 19, 1946 

